Early in 2020, my husband and I were in the beginning stages of planning a family trip to Ireland. Neither of us have been and he’s never been to Europe. Plus, our local international airport flies direct to Dublin and we both have high percentages of Irish heritage between us. It was a good start to a plan. Then COVID-19 happened. Any ideas we had about traveling this year have changed significantly, and rightfully so. Since we’ve been pretty much homebound, we might as well enjoy it, right?
Here are a few things I’ve purchased over the last month to spruce up our house and living space.
Faux plants - for years, I’ve tried to keep plants alive on our screened-in porch, but various reasons, have not been successful. Between forgetting to water them or not having enough sunlight, they just were not happy, and ultimately, didn’t last. So this year, I decided to give faux plants a go. Target has a few that I’ve purchased, and surprisingly, they look real!!
These have since sold out, but this one is on my list. Also this larger option. And this fern. Just be careful what you order - some look OK online and then in person, look extremely fake.
Patio furniture - we are lucky to have both a front and backyard in a city. Hubby pays special attention to the front yard (for years, there was this unspoken competition of who had the best lawn in the neighborhood), while I have some space in the backyard. Of course this space has been taken up by toys and the dogs have the run of it too, so I struggle with making it stay nice. Between kids and dogs, it's a bit of a struggle.
This set is surprisingly comfortable and sturdy. We both fit it (we're over 6'0 tall) and I really like the option of the ottomans, which you can just slide underneath the chairs if you don't want to use them. Also, the cushion covers come off so you can wash them! I'm looking for some fun accent pillows, as well as chair covers so they don't keep getting wet when it rains. See below for before and after.
Do note though, if you decide to order these, it takes awhile to get them. I'm talking almost a month. Maybe shipping has changed since I ordered, but beware.
This rug came from Home Depot, and normally, I wouldn't put a rug outside, but I think it spruces up the space and is comfortable for adult and toddler feet alike to stand and walk on. Indoor/outdoor rug for the win!
Still a work in progress, but I'm happy with how things are shaping up so far!
What's a summer backyard without some kind of water activity?? This splash pad and this water table have been sooo great for my son to have. We don't live on or near water so these are inexpensive ways for him to be stimulated and have fun outside while keeping cool!
What kinds of things have you been doing to spruce up your space? Leave them in the comments - I'd love to hear!
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